News and Stories

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is bringing solar energy to trusted community organizations, schools, and churches in Cincinnati as part of our ongoing Community Solar Resiliency Program (CSRP). The CSRP aims to reduce emissions, cut utility costs, and help organizations reinvest savings into their core missions and services.  

The most recent beneficiaries of this program are two Talbert House supportive housing developments and Frederick Douglass Elementary School. The new panels on these facilities will significantly lower utility costs, allowing the organizations to reinvest savings into the critical services and mission-driven programs they provide to the community. 

The multi-level urban residences that received solar panels— Klekamp Family Veteran Residences and Carthage Flats—are set to open in the coming months, providing permanent, supportive housing for families, individuals, and veterans in need. The Cincinnati Zoo donated solar panels and staff time for the project, while Garber/Model Group managed the array installation.  

• Klekamp Family Veteran Residences now feature 79 panels, with a projected 25-year lifetime savings of more than $214,000.  
• Carthage Flats includes 94 panels, projected to save over $238,000 during the same period.

Together, these systems will generate clean, renewable energy for decades, reducing operating costs and supporting residents. 

The third installation of the summer was part of the 2025 Community Makeover in Walnut Hills.  Now in its 16th year, this powerful collaboration brings together some of Cincinnati’s most iconic organizations, including Cincinnati Children’s, GE Aerospace, Kroger, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, to create a lasting, community-driven transformation. 

Among the long list of projects this year was a 28 kW rooftop solar array on Fredrick Douglass Elementary School, installed by Cincinnati Zoo and SonLight Power. The 49 panels will save a projected $149,000 over the lifetime of the array (25 years). 

 This project was made possible through the generous support and collaboration of many partners including the Zoo, the Reds Community Fund, B&J Electric, Greg Gates Architect, Bryan Bowden, and SonLight Power. SonLight power also sourced a grant award from IEEE IAS PCIC Eugene Fagan Fund that paid for additional project materials.    

Looking Ahead

Stay tuned for updates on a potential fourth project this year in Avondale! We’re in the early planning stages and can’t wait to share more details soon. We are also working on plans for solar for our conservation partners at SORALO in Kenya and looking into expanding our impact with solar solutions for other global conservation partners abroad.  

What Can You Do

There are energy efficiency measures that we can all take.  Visit Energy Efficiency – Environment & Sustainability for ideas about what could work for you.